Minister for Health publishes the National Cancer Strategy 2017-2026 Implementation Report 2023
From Department of Health
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From Department of Health
Published on
Last updated on
Minister for Health publishes the National Cancer Strategy 2017-2026 Implementation Report 2023
Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly TD has today published the National Cancer Strategy 2017-2026 Implementation Report 2023. The Report sets out the progress achieved on the improvement of cancer control activities aimed at delivering better outcomes for patients, as set out in the 52 recommendations of the Strategy. The report measures the achievement of these recommendations against the key performance indicators, which focus on reducing preventable cancer, promoting early detection and driving improvements in treatment and after-care for cancer patients.
Minister Donnelly welcomed the publication of the report, saying:
“In 2023 we recruited 127 additional staff to our cancer services, which is a significant increase in staffing for cancer services in Ireland. We now have over 215,000 people living after receiving a cancer diagnosis. This is a 50% increase over a decade, further illustrating the success of our National Cancer Strategies. In 2023, I announced €3 million funding for the Alliance of Community Cancer Support Centres, which provides a range of support services for people living with cancer and their families in communities throughout Ireland.
“The benefit to patients from the record levels of investment in 2021 and 2022 also continues to be felt, with several initiatives implemented to target earlier access to better care throughout the cancer service. This Government will continue to invest in our cancer services, to deliver year-on-year improvements and build on the progress made in 2023.”
In April 2023, the first patients began receiving treatments at the new radiation oncology centre in Galway, built as a result of €70 million capital funding. €9.89 million was provided as part of the 2023 HSE Capital Plan to support the provision of radiation oncology facilities in Cork, Galway and Dublin. The level of investment demonstrates this Government’s commitment to the ongoing development of radiation oncology services, where sophisticated treatments such as stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) are now being provided. Further capital projects for cancer services were continued under the Capital Plan for 2023. This included the equipment (linear accelerators) replacement programme for St Luke's Radiation Oncology Network, expansion of the oncology day unit at Cork University Hospital, and progression of the replacement of Aseptic Compounding Units (ACUs) at Cork University Hospital, Letterkenny University Hospital and Tallaght University Hospital.
In 2023, €7.5 million Shared Island funding was announced for the new Daisy Lodge therapeutic centre for children with cancer and their families in Cong, County Mayo. This centre will be run by the Cancer Fund for Children (CFFC), a charitable organisation which has strong links with paediatric cancer services across the island of Ireland. Together with the existing CFFC centre in Newcastle, County Down, the new Daisy Lodge will offer a range of services to families free of charge.
Bernard Gloster, CEO of the Health Service Executive (HSE), said:
“Cancer continues to be a key area of focus for the HSE, with measures taken to support timely access to cancer diagnosis and treatment. During 2023, the HSE’s National Cancer Control Programme worked with a range of partners to support the implementation of the recommendations of the National Cancer Strategy. The support of rapid access clinics was central to maintaining timely diagnosis, tumour conferences and multi-disciplinary teams to ensure coordinated cancer treatment planning. The National Cancer Information System is a patient-centred, longitudinal, and accessible care record that is now live in 16 of 26 hospitals nationally. The population-based cancer screening programmes, which are overseen by the HSE’s National Screening Service, continue to have a key role in reducing morbidity and mortality related to cancer and there was a particular focus in 2023 on increasing the uptake of cancer screening.”
Prof. Risteárd Ó Laoide, National Director of the HSE’s National Cancer Control Programme, said:
“In 2023, we continued to implement improvements in cancer control in line with the National Cancer Strategy. 2023 saw a particular focus on skin cancer prevention, early diagnosis of cancer and improved pathways for hereditary cancer. New treatments were introduced, including Peptide Receptor Radionuclide Therapy (PRRT) for the treatment of neuroendocrine cancer. We also continued to develop psycho-oncology services, cancer care for children, adolescents and young adults and a range of supports for people living with and after cancer. International research has highlighted the link between a consistent focus on the implementation of cancer policy and improved cancer outcomes. We remain focussed on continuing to implement the recommendations of the Cancer Strategy to improve cancer services in Ireland.”
ENDS
Note to Editors
The National Cancer Strategy 2017-2026 Implementation Report 2023 can be found here .
The full text of the National Cancer Strategy 2017-2026 is available on the Department website here .
Implementation of the National Cancer Strategy is a Programme for Government commitment and is part of the implementation of Sláintecare. Seven years into the Strategy, 40 of the 52 recommendations are considered implemented, while the remaining actions are being actively progressed by the National Cancer Control Programme with oversight from the Department of Health.
Funding for the National Cancer Strategy since 2017:
Developments in 2023 include:
Additional developments in 2024 have included: